The National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) plans to grow 2,000 indigenous tree seedlings across the Busia County.
Speaking during the official launch of the exercise at Siteko Primary School, Busia County NGAAF Coordinator Dancan Musingo said that the seedlings would be planted within two weeks.
“Today we have planted 300 tree seedlings as we launched the exercise but the rest will be planted within the next two weeks under the guidance of the Forest Conservator,” he said.
Busia County Forest Conservator Vitalis Osodo said that the County has a low forest cover of 7.8 percent and 0.005 percent forest cover.
Osodo noted that the local residents had not embraced tree planting but had improved in the last three years.
“We have improved from 5.5 percent to the current 7.8 percent,” he said, adding that the national tree cover is at 12.5 percent.
He pointed out that the Presidential directive requires that 15 billion seedlings were planted across the country.
“In Busia, we have been given a target to raise 4 million seedlings per year and by the end of the year 2032, we are expected to have planted 500,000 hectares so that we can achieve the 30 percent tree cover in Busia County alone.
The Conservator further stated that Kenya Forest Service has partnered with other stakeholders to plant trees in Busia County.
“We have planted 300 seedlings in partnership with NGAAF in this school today,” he said, adding that the department expects to have planted not less than 4 million seedlings within Busia County during the long rainy period.
Osodo however pointed out that obtaining resources to achieve their targets was still a challenge hence the reason why they had to engage other partners.
Busia County Commissioner Mwachaunga Chaunga on his part thanked the Woman Representative for the initiative adding that trees played an important role in the environment.
Chaunga underscored the need to engage the young generation in tree planting so that they could understand its importance.
“We should be ready to bring up generations who understand the importance of tree growing instead of those who only see how to exploit them,” he said.
He further urged the local residents to plant trees in their homes and farms adding that the county is endowed with enough rainfall for their growth.
The CC warned that necessary action would be taken against those who left their animals to destroy tree seedlings planted within various public institutions.
By Salome Alwanda
